BIRMINGHAM, AL (WBRC) -
Most people run away from a fire but one off-duty cop ran towards one Sunday morning and ultimately rescued two men from the flames.
Around 6 a.m. Sunday morning, Birmingham officer Mark Green was headed to his job at the Birmingham Police Department's North Precinct. As he drove along Carson Road, he noticed a car off to the side on fire. He stopped, jumped out of his car and ran to the guardrail. He noticed a young man sitting on top of the car.
"He appeared to be badly injured. I asked him if there was anybody else in the vehicle and he couldn't really tell me. And I heard somebody screaming from around the vehicle, 'Help me,'" Green said.
So Green made his way down an embankment to investigate. He pulled a young man out of the car and up the embankment.
He says he doesn't consider himself a hero. Helping people is what he's always wanted to do.
"Just the fact I was able to help, I didn't think about myself being a hero, by no means, but I knew I had to do the right thing," Green said.
Green says it was part of his natural instinct to help but he also gives credit to the training he received in the military and also at the police academy. He's a rookie officer and has only been on the streets since November.
Green's commanding officer, Sgt. Raymond Cochran has already filed paperwork to award Green with a life saving medal. He says it's the first time he's recommended a rookie officer for the award.
Authorities were unable to give an updated condition on the two men.
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Officer Mark Green. Source: WBRC video
It was near this part of Carson Road that Officer Green saw the burning car. Source: WBRC video
Authorities shared this picture of the burned out car. Source: Birmingham Fire and Medical
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